


Warriors: Alt! One Shot:: I May Not Be Worthy of Your Heart But I'll Make You Feel All Right

by CocoKat



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-23
Updated: 2019-08-23
Packaged: 2020-09-24 23:37:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20366983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CocoKat/pseuds/CocoKat
Summary: So I'm sure if you're familiar with Warriors you know all about the stink about Firestar with Spottedleaf and Sandstorm. I came up with this one-shot late one night. I just kinda thought out a scenario about Sandstorm and Firestar discussing and acknowledging the issue of Spottedleaf, and I made it a little less creepy as well (lol thanks Erin) This is not a fix-fic, this is just a little thing from the "Alt!" universe I guess. Hope ya'll enjoy!- Coco





	Warriors: Alt! One Shot:: I May Not Be Worthy of Your Heart But I'll Make You Feel All Right

Sandstorm blinked. When her vision eventually came into focus, the first thing she noticed was that it was still dark. The second thing she noticed was that Firestar was gone -- no longer snuggled up against her in their nest. Her heart sank. She knew why he was up and about and what exactly he was doing. She dragged herself out of bed despite her paws feeling heavy as stones and brushed through the hanging lichen out into the night air. Sandstorm craned her neck to look behind and up at the Highrock as she padded out into the camp clearing. Sure enough, there he was.

Firestar was sitting on the Highrock with his eyes closed and nostrils flared. He looked so peaceful, and yet Sandstorm wanted to scratch that serene expression right off his face. The anger festered like a black, infected wound in her gut as she looked up at the cat she loved. Somehow Firestar probably sensed his mate nearby and turned his head to look down. His fresh, sparkling green eyes lit up when he saw Sandstorm and her resentment began to melt. As the handsome ginger tom began to descend the Highrock the intense, wretched anger was nothing more than a sad puddle.

“Hey, you,” he said in that soft voice of his. It used to drive Sandstorm mad when they were kits – always calm, always rational, never letting anything get to him. Now it was like a rock in a storm.

“Hey,” Sandstorm replied. She had just woken up and her voice was a barely audible exhale. She couldn’t meet his eyes.

“What are you doing up? Did I wake you? I tried being quiet,” said Firestar with an apologetic smile. “I guess I can’t out-stealth the best hunter in the clan.” He went to press his nose into Sandstorm’s muzzle, but she pulled away. Firestar blinked in confusion for a moment, but realization crept into his expression. “Oh, Sandy, please let’s not do this…”

Sandstorm said nothing. Firestar was the only one allowed to use that nickname that Sandstorm used to hate so much. Hearing him say it made her heart leap and it was like she had to remind herself that she was angry with him. He _knew _that this made Sandstorm upset, and yet they’ve gone through this near-exact scenario – what, four times now?

“Please don’t just walk away this time,” Firestar pleaded. Sandstorm still had her gaze fixed on the ground, but she could feel that sickly, sweet sincerity that filled his eyes. He sighed. “You don’t have to say anything, just, please stay. Lemme talk to you.”

Sandstorm still stayed silent, but remained where she stood.

“It really isn’t what you think,” he began.

“Oh really?” Sandstorm snapped. She didn’t like being told she was wrong and immediately realized her response was disproportionate, but she was looking at him now. The off-guard look Firestar wore stirred something inside Sandstorm to push further. “What am I to think, _Firestar_? That my mate sometimes gets up in the dead of night to breathe in the scent of his dead kithood crush?”

“Yes, I was a _kit,”_ Firestar hissed. “That was years ago!”

“You need to let go,” Sandstorm argued.

Firestar looked as if he was about to say something scathing, but he forced down the snarl building in his throat and visibly relax. That action alone was enough to piss Sandstorm off further. She had never seen Firestar angry. Truly angry. Sandstorm both hated and loved the control he had over his feelings. She sometimes wished he would let loose, just so they would be on the same level.

“It’s not about letting go,” Firestar said firmly. He took another breath and simultaneously swiped his tail gently over his mate’s mouth. “Please let me speak this time, Sandstorm, I’m begging you here.”

She swiped the tail away from her mouth with the back of her paw and only growled. The hot, bubbling fury deep in her guts made her want him to say something, _anything_ stupid enough to give her an excuse to just lose it.

“You’re angry because you don’t talk about it with me,” Firestar said.

“We’re talking now,” said Sandstorm through gritted teeth. She was lashing her tail side to side.

Firestar dipped his head at her. “That we are,” he chuckled.

“Something funny?”

“Sorry,” he said sheepishly. “You know I laugh when I’m nervous.”

_This idiot furball,_ Sandstorm thought with an irritating fondness that seeped into her angry thoughts. He was making it very difficult to remain mad at him.

“It’s true; I had a crush on Spottedleaf when I was a kit. I honest to goodness thought she was the love of my life at the time,” he paused when Sandstorm’s scowl deepened. “_But_ she became a lot more than that.” Firestar took a tentative step forward and Sandstorm allowed it. “You know that I grew up without a mother, or a father, or siblings. Thunderclan became my family instead. Spottedleaf became the big sister I never had and…” Firestar let out a shaky breath. “I miss her so much, Sandstorm.”

She let him take another step towards her with his eyes brimming. “I can tell. Seeing as you stare off longingly, all misty-eyed like that,” Sandstorm said snarkily.

“She’s a part of me,” said Firestar. “When I became leader and received those lives from Starclan, each cat left a piece of themselves with me. Their souls were bonded to mine. Spottedleaf is my _friend, _Sandstorm. Despite what you may think, I didn’t just _settle_. You’re not second best.” Firestar was now only a couple pawsteps away from Sandstorm and he looked up at her. “I chose _you_, Sandstorm. I love you.”

Sandstorm’s heart leapt up in her throat and didn’t meet his gaze. “Then what am I a part of?” she asked bitterly.

Firestar purred. “You’re a part of my soul too. Starclan didn’t have to do that for me, though. You did that yourself.”

For a few terrifying moments Sandstorm didn’t say a word. She appeared to choke, then she let out a snort. Then she slowly broke into a laugh and locked eyes with her mate. “You are so cheesy,” she said.

“Oh piss off,” Firestar playfully butted his head into his mate’s side, knocking her down. “Here I am, opening my bleeding heart to you! You think I’m a joke!”

“Yeah that’s right, runt,” Sandstorm countered with thumping both her paws down on Firestar’s head, pushing his into the ground.

“Hey, hey, hey, I’m eatin’ dirt down here!” Firestar sputtered.

Sandstorm laughed, but their fun was interrupted by a dry, low, rumbly voice from across the camp.

“Oi you two take it to your den or the woods or someplace else like decent cats!” called Patchpelt from the elder’s den. Sandstorm bit back a rebuttal. She didn’t want to cause any more commotion. She let her mate come up to breath air rather than dirt.

“Ugh, unbelievable,” Firestar pouted.

Sandstorm giggled. “C’mon, let’s take Patchpelt’s advice and head back to bed. Though, I’d rather sleep if that’s alright with you.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Firestar first stretched his back before matching pace with Sandstorm. After a few pawsteps, when they reached the entrance marked by the hanging lichen, Sandstorm stopped and turned to Firestar.

“Is it the same with everyone else?” she asked.

“What do you mean?”

“You told me about every cat that gave you a life when you became leader. Can you sense them in your soul too?”

“Yes,” Firestar replied without missing a beat. He smiled. “I can’t really talk to them or anything, but I can conjure up memories, scents, tastes, sounds -- stuff like that. For Spottedleaf, yes, it’s her scent; for Silverstream it’s her voice; for Redtail it’s his bad jokes. You get the idea…” Firestar traced his paw in the sand and hesitated. “Y’know, I still haven’t seen Runningwind in my dreams yet. Back then, when I lost my first life against Scourge and Bloodclan, I think that really was goodbye. At least, for a very long time.”

Sandstorm pressed against his side. “Sorry I was being… silly.”

Firestar’s eyes widened in mock surprise. “Whoa, are you – are you apologizing? To me? Sandstorm are you actually apologi-.”

“Shut uuuup,” she drawled and smacked him upside the head.

Firestar laughed and twirled through the hanging vegetation into the den, landing on his behind. “Okay, okay, but seriously there’s no need to apologize. I’m just glad you stayed to listen. I understand that it looks,” he paused, searching for the right word. “Weird.”

“Well I guess now I know more about the oh-so-mysterious powers of clan leaders,” Sandstorm laid down behind him. Her head popped back up. “One more question.”

“Oh ever one more question,” Firestar turned over and light-heartedly nipped Sandstorm on her ear.

“OW! Dungbrain,” Sandstorm attempted to smack her idiot mate again but he wrapped her in an inescapable hug.

“What is your question, love?” Firestar squeezed her, cackling.

“Can’t… breathe… let go…I’ll kill you,” Sandstorm threatened. She pushed him off and he landed in a giggling mess. “Stars above, you’re a child.”

“Yeah, kinda,” Firestar sighed plainly.

“My question,” Sandstorm continued, but hesitated. Firestar turned over and gave her a concerned look. “What -- you mentioned how they all sort of… gave you something. What does Bluestar give you? When you summon those memories?”

Firestar broke into a soft, warm grin. “Advice.”

“Oh.”

“Nothing new,” he clarified. “Just stuff I remember from before. While Mousefur drilled me till my fur flew off, Bluestar was there to help me whenever I got stuck. It’s almost like she’s with me again. I'm able to remember so vividly.”

“Yeah, that was a weird mentorship you had,” Sandstorm commented. They laid in silence for a while -- just enjoying each other’s warmth and company. “What do I give you?” Sandstorm asked eventually.

Firestar snuggled in close and closed his eyes. “Everything I ever wanted,” he whispered with a smirk.

Sandstorm rolled her eyes. “Goodnight.”

“Whoa, hey, I thought that was pretty good,” Firestar protested sleepily.

“Goodnight, Fireheart.”


End file.
